diff --git a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.h b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.h
--- a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.h
+++ b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.h
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@
     /** @see QWidget::sizeHint() */
     QSize sizeHint() const override;
 
-protected:
-    bool event(QEvent* event) override;
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void loadingFinished();
 
 private:
     class Private;
diff --git a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
--- a/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #include <QEvent>
 #include <QListWidget>
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
-#include <QDebug>
 
 using namespace Baloo;
 
@@ -48,7 +47,6 @@
      */
     void slotLoadingFinished();
 
-    int m_visibleDataTypes;
     KFileItemList m_fileItems;
     FileMetaDataProvider* m_provider;
     QListWidget* m_metaDataList;
@@ -59,7 +57,6 @@
 
 
 FileMetaDataConfigWidget::Private::Private(FileMetaDataConfigWidget* parent) :
-    m_visibleDataTypes(0),
     m_fileItems(),
     m_provider(nullptr),
     m_metaDataList(nullptr),
@@ -74,7 +71,9 @@
 
     m_provider = new FileMetaDataProvider(q);
     m_provider->setReadOnly(true);
-    connect(m_provider, SIGNAL(loadingFinished()), q, SLOT(slotLoadingFinished()));
+    connect(m_provider, &FileMetaDataProvider::loadingFinished, [this] {
+        this->slotLoadingFinished();
+    });
 }
 
 FileMetaDataConfigWidget::Private::~Private()
@@ -143,6 +142,10 @@
     addItem("rating");
     addItem("tags");
     addItem("userComment");
+
+    q->updateGeometry();
+
+    emit q->loadingFinished();
 }
 
 FileMetaDataConfigWidget::FileMetaDataConfigWidget(QWidget* parent) :
@@ -183,20 +186,17 @@
     showGroup.sync();
 }
 
-bool FileMetaDataConfigWidget::event(QEvent* event)
-{
-    if (event->type() == QEvent::Polish) {
-        qDebug() << "GOT POLISH EVENT!!!";
-        // loadMetaData() must be invoked asynchronously, as the list
-        // must finish it's initialization first
-        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "loadMetaData", Qt::QueuedConnection);
-    }
-    return QWidget::event(event);;
-}
-
 QSize FileMetaDataConfigWidget::sizeHint() const
 {
-    return d->m_metaDataList->sizeHint();
+    // get the height of the first row
+    const int rowHeight = d->m_metaDataList->sizeHintForRow(0);
+
+    QSize sizeHint = d->m_metaDataList->sizeHint();
+
+    // extrapole the height of the widget based on the first row height plus 2 pixels to account for spacing
+    sizeHint.setHeight((rowHeight + 2) * d->m_metaDataList->count());
+
+    return sizeHint;
 }
 
 #include "moc_filemetadataconfigwidget.cpp"